Start inspection on the interior or exterior?

[George A. H. Luck]

OUTSIDE FIRST - grounds, driveways, sidewalks, outbuildings etc; then foundations, siding, windows, roof (soffit, facia and gutters)

THEN ( with indoor shoes if needed - please do not tell my wife)

INSIDE - furnace, plumbing, electrical, structural, to ground floor, to second floor and then attic.

I am a creature of habit and find that if I do not do things in their order I just don't feel right about the inspection ( as though I had missed something)

[Chris Thomson]

It all depends on the weather the client and the homeowner. If the client and the realitor are who I enjoy working with I start in the kitchen so I can talk to them for a while, if the homeowner is home then I try to work around them. I usually turn the dishwasher and all bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans and dryer and check the exterior and the roof. No matter where I start I always save the crawlspace and attic for last.

[Peter Foxe Smothers]

Some food for thought. I have a local friend who is also an inspector. He use to start on the outside first as well. One day while walking a roof he fell through a spot that was rotted out and broke a leg. He now starts in the attic, then the outside.

I still start on the outside first though. It gives me time to be early and get stuff done.

[jrivera]

[quote=psmothers] One day while walking a roof he fell through a spot that was rotted out and broke a leg. quote]


EXACTLY why I don't walk roofs

Mic

[pcarter-old-04]

First - Lot and grounds - water control
Second - Exterior
Third - Interior and basement if no crawl space with inside only shoes
Fourth - Attic
Fifth - Roof
Sixth - Crawl space if no basement
Seventh - Interior to ensure lights are turned off and controls are where they were orginally - Also, I note the control setting prior to inspection and testing with a photo before, during testing/inspection and after with time and date stamping,this includes appliances as well.
Eight - Walk around with client and answer asinine realtor questions and pass out propaganda material
Nine - get in truck and go to the next one

[Russel Ray]

I start the inspection by asking the Client specific questions when they book the appointment, such as, "What's your general impression of the condition?", "Any idea how long the seller's been living there?" and some more.

Then I pull the public records and the MLS listing. If the MLS uses certain code words, like "charming," "fixer upper," "Needs TLC," "just remodeled," etc., I know what I'm dealing with. If the public records show that the last two sales were July 1976 and November 2006, and now it's back on the market, and vacant, then I know that the guy who owned it from July 1976 to November 1976 had a lot of deferred maintenance or it was dated (no GFCI outlets, no tempered safety glass in doors, etc.). Since it's now vacant, I know that the guy who bought it in November 1976 was a property flipper. That can be both good and bad, good in that the property is vacant, but bad because renovation hides all the clues that I'm looking for.

If I find a discrepancy between the public records and the MLS listing, I resolve those immediately. For example, the public records quite often show a much smaller square footage than the MLS listing. It's amazing how the not-so-ethical Realtors will quote me the public record square footage when seeking a price, but I'll immediately call back and take them to task for being a Realtor who doesn't know how to read the MLS listing sheets. There's a big difference between public records showing 961 SF, and the MLS listing show 1,961 SF. Illiterate Realtors . Invariably they are shocked that I have access to the MLS listings and the public records. Stupid Realtors. The most illiterate Realtors are those buying something for themselves. I just had one a couple of weeks ago who told me "about 3,000," but when I pulled the public records and the MLS listing, I found a 5,090-SF mansion on the water front. Hmmmmmmmmm. He wasn't happy that I discovered his lie so quickly, and although I did that inspection, he now is on my "Top 10" list.

If there is a difference in square footage between the public records and the MLS listing, that also tells me that the public records have not been updated to reflect additions. Why? Because appropriate permits have not been pulled, work inspected, and permit closed. Yep. 100% of the time that's what's going on.

Once I resolve everything, on the day prior to the inspeciton, I'll call or email to confirm the inspection time. That has saved me many a time from making a long-distance trip only to find out that "the appraisal didn't come in" or "my Clients pulled out" or "I thought I called you to cancel." Etc.

When the actual day and time of the inspection arrives, I'll make sure that I arrive at the exact time. I want everyone to be there as I arrive. I want them to see me getting out of my car, getting my tools and ladder. I want them to see just how much stuff I carry around in order to do a good, thorough job for them.

The first part of the inspection is going over the inspection agreement with my Clients. Since it is that inspection agreement that puts my various insurance policies (E&O, GL, AD&D, life, workers' comp) in force on that specific property, I never do anything on a property until I have a signed agreement and payment. Never, never, never. Never. Did I say never?

While my Clients are initialing every paragraph to indicate that they read it, I'm doing the interior layout and making sure that I have electricity, gas, and water. If not, I immediately inform my Clients so that they can make a decision about what they want to do. I do charge to come back; I'm a professional. My time is valuable.

Once the inspection contract is signed and I know that I have utilities, the very first thing I do is inspect the dishwasher and then start it. That way it can run while I continue the inspection.

The second thing I do is run the heating and cooling system. If it's hot outside, I'll run the heating first, and then the cooling system. If it's cold outside, I'll run the cooling system and then the heating system. There are limitations to both of those depending on outside temperatures.

Then I'll continue with the inside. In other words, I do the interior first. Why? Because that's usually where the Clients are. If they have it in their mind to leave after an hour or so, I want to make darn sure that they have seen me working for them (the ol' dog and pony show). I've also found that keeping one's ears open while they are discussing the seller's disclosures, problems they noted, etc., is very valuable, and one can't hear those conversations if the Clients are inside going over them but you are outside doing exterior stuff.

So, I guess I start the inspection on the computer, then do the interior, then do the exterior. That protocol also prevents me from tracking dirt and mud inside since once I'm finished inside, I'm finished. So I can get as dirty as I want and then simply go to my car and head on back to the office.

The other valuable thing that my protocols do is allow the Clients to come outside for the verbal wrap-up. That usually indicates to the seller and/or seller's Realtor that I'm having a discussion with my Clients and they are not invited. Saves a lot of time with the seller or seller's Realtor defending everything that I say (i.e., "It's always been like that," "The seller is a general contractor"--wish she had told me at the beginning of the inspection so I could have gone to the car to get more paper and red pens!).

For those who walk on roofs, please, please, please, go into the attic first to see if there are any soft spots, spots that are missing, rotting lumber, severe termite infestations, etc., anything that could result in you going through the roof instead of across the roof. Your life, your limbs, and your livelihood are at risk by not doing that very simple task. Please, please, please.

That brings me to an inspection several years ago, towards the beginning of my home inspection career, when I was a member of CREIA and ASHI. My Clients at one inspection read my contract and inquired about why I would not walk on the roof. I told them and offered not to do the inspection for them if they were not happy with my protocols. They said, "No, that's okay. Our Realtor told us that you are really 'nitpicky,' which is what we want." So I did the inspection. Meanwhile, one of my Level B competitors pulled up across the street. I knew that he walked on roofs. At the end of the inspection, sure enough, he was over there across the street walking around on the roof, looking M&M (mean and macho). My Clients pointed out to me that he was walking on the roof. I told them that I knew him, knew that in his previous career he was a roofing contractor, as was I, but that I knew he didn't have appropriate insurance to be walking on roofs, and neither did I. I had no need to be M&M. Later that evening they called to tell me that after I had left, that inspector had fallen off the roof and had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Several days later I got an email from the San Diego CREIA chapter president about a death in the home inspection family. Not only did he not have appropriate insurance for walking on the roof, he also had no life insurance, so he basically left behind a destitute wife and two children. I contributed to the memorial fund to help the family that was left behind.

I don't ever want to hear about a NACHI member, or anyone else for that matter, who left us behind simply because they were too stubborn or M&M to inspect the attic before they walked on the roof. Of course, the best course is simply not to walk on roofs unless you're a licensed roofing contractor--they have better insurance for the circumstances than we as home inspectors do.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by rcooke

We all know how easy it is to get of a ladder onto the roof and how it is more awkward to get off the roof onto the ladder .

Well, not all of us!

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by ecrofutt

I think the State of New York is screwed up on their testing.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Too many differentials.

Who wrote the dumb question?
Who can eliminate it?
What has to be done to eliminate dumbass questions on the HI Exam?

And dumbass answers. We haven't been able to do that here at NACHI, so I suspect we're not going to have success with the State of New York, either.

[coliver]

I too am a newb, but I was told and try to start on the outside and then move inside. This helps me ensure that I am developing a habit that will cover all of the systems and components so nothing gets missed. As far as rain, here in Florida I only have to wait for the cloud to cross the street.

[tneyedli1]

Always start on the ouside to get the macro views as this gives the sense of how the general maintainenance of the structure is maintained.
Note any suspected problems/conditions that might manifest themselves on the inside.
I carry a pair of house shoes in a draw string bag. This impresses the realtors to no end let alone the homeowner.
Terry Neyedli
NACHI Member
Serving central Vancouver Island

[Jim Lott]

Its a law in Texas the foundation has to be cracked or split in at least 4 places.. I heard :*)))))))

[Edward J. Bowman]

Weather condition dictate where I start. If its raining I hit the attic space immediately and then the basement. No better time to find leaks.

If it's not raining I begin on the exterior. I begin my routine by just walking the perimeter and observing the exterior of the building first. I mentally note the locations of outside electrical, vents, chimneys, air conditioners, etc.

Edward J. Bowman

[Gary Oleski]

Start on the outside and roof then inside.

[David K. Smith]

I like to start on the computer to look up the property and get the size, map location and any other info. I always try to arrive 15-20 minutes before the client to preform some of the exterior inspection. I think, what you find outside will dictate what you find inside. Example low grading on east side, I will make an effort to lift the carpet edge on that side of the home to look for moisture intrusion. Same for the roof or windows, I don't have the basement problems some of you may have because there are almost no basements down here in Florida.

[thejnicki]

Im a firm believer in starting on the outside, when inspecting the exterior walls, and the grounds you may find areas where water has pooled near the foundation, or voids in the exterior may have water intrusion.. These types of areas should have extra attenion emphasized when inside..
I keep the same routine whether its raining or not, unless there is a dog or people ask you to start in a certain area, then I change up my routine..